Liquid Blue In Melted Brown
by GodricsUnknownResident
Summary: Ginny and Draco were natural born enemies. The kind of hatred that is passed through blood. But what happens when they discover the beauty in one another, and give into what they want? Rated M for future content: Language, Violence, and implied sex cont.
1. 1: Start

**She glared ruthlessly at Draco, her eyes narrowing as he sat on the desk, gazing at her with a smirk across his face. **

"**You could at least help, you worthless git. There's no one here to do the dirty work for you, so it would be in YOUR best interest to get your bum down onto the floor and scrub." Her words came out an icy blur, barely comprehensible. But he had heard them. A tiny snicker left his lips and he raised his eyebrows.**

"**This is a good look for you Ginny, really. But I'm sure Potter gets to see this every night, down on all fours will your ass in the air. I'd prefer it if I didn't have to look at you, but I'm sure from someone else's eyes this would be quite appealing." He crossed his legs, stretching his arms behind him, with a loud yawn. As if he had won the battle. Ginny tossed her sponge against the floor, and stood up, knees wet with soapy water.**

"**Just because I don't have my wand, doesn't mean I can't harm you Malfoy. I have a fist, and your face looks just as delicate as your will power. If it weren't for the fact that I WANT to be at tomorrow's Quidditch game, I would smash your jaw right now." Her face looked menacing, and completely serious. **

"**Don't take it out on me Ginny, It's not **_**my **_**fault were here." He sneered at her, taking a step towards her, fists clenched at his sides. Her mouth fell open in surprise, anger reflecting in her chocolate brown eyes. **

"**Your blaming this on ME?!" she shrieked, her voice raising an octave. She closed the space between them, a negative electricity drawing them closer. She extended her arm, pushing on his shoulder so that he stumbled back.**

"**Your blaming it on me, when you're the MORON who decided it was a good idea, to slip frogs breath into a LOVE potion. You blubbering IDIOT. I tried to save our assignment and it blew up in our faces, if you hadn't messed with it in the first place we wouldn't be here, scrubbing floors and being punished for a stupid MISTAKE." She huffed heavily, her eyes blazing. He chuckled lightly, holding his hands in front of him.**

"**Calm, weaslet. Take it easy, that temper of yours is going to get you convicted of murder. Or worse sexual harassment. You look as if your in need of some tension release, is Potter not doing it for you?" he sneered, "I'm sorry that you have to settle, but it's really not my problem that no one else will take you."**

**Next moment, she pounced on him. Pale hands wrapping tightly around his throat, ceasing his breathing. "You-arrogant-little-fucking-ferret!" she grunted, strangling him thoroughly. The door opened to the violent scene, Professor Snape stepping into the room, eyes widening.  
**

"**Weasley! Off Malfoy, NOW!" he commanded, pulling his wand from his pocket. Ginny barely noticed him, and she laughed as Draco's face turned blue, his eyes bulging from his sockets.**

"**This is a good look for you Malfoy, submissive and lacking control, I'm sure Pansy gets to see this, every night. Although, I'd prefer not to look at you" she mocked, laughing again. **

**Snape raised his wand, opening his lips to mutter "Confundo" before turned his wand on Draco. While Ginny fell back, completely under the impression that she had just experienced a change of heart towards the Slytherins current choking, Snape warily cast "Anapneo" towards Draco. He lowered his want, as Draco gasped for air and Ginny became angry again, realization hitting her. **

"**This was ENTIRELY his fault!" she yelled, "He egged me on, if I get banned from tomorrow's ga-" Snape held up a finger, silencing her. A smile slowly crossed his lips.**

"**That, Ms. Weasley had never crossed my mind. Until now. It would be a terrible shame for Gryffindor's only seeker to be put into detention for the next two games. I would hate to have to do something so cruel..but..you did physically harm Mr. Malfoy here. I would have to punish you." He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Two, detentions. Starting this Saturday. And, Mr. Malfoy for your disobedience towards Ms. Weasley you'll be required to attend one of the detentions. It seems that both Slytherin and Gryffindor will be lacking a seeker in the weekend's game. When you're finished with the floors you can leave" he added. He swept through the open door, closing it behind him.**

**Draco glared from the floor, towards Ginny. He sneered down at him, "It seems the tables have turned Malfoy. Now who's the one on the soaking floor?" she asked smiling slightly. He continued glaring from where he was, and slowly rose from the floor, removing his robe and working on his shirt. Her eyes widened and she seemed to be choking on something herself.**

"**What, in Merlin's beard are you DOING?" she asked, taking a step back. He looked up under his lashes, rolling his eyes at her.**

"**Don't flatter yourself Weaslet, I'm just trying to dry off. I'm sure seeing my bare chest will certainly be a life changing moment for you though, please, take pictures if it'll make your life any less pitiful." She glared, looking away with slight embarrassment. **

"**So..are your mates going to be as irked with you as they will be with me? I mean, there can't REALLY even be a game. Not without seekers, and not without a Slytherin captain." She chewed at her nails absentmindedly. He shook his head slowly.**

"**They might be, but I think they're too afraid to really say anything. I think I'm pretty safe from the ridicule. But you, your tiny, they might just bite your head off." He smirked at the idea. **

**Ginny glanced at him with her eyebrow raised, "I'm not so tiny that I cant take you to the floor. Or perhaps I'm average and your just abnormally small for your gender." **

**Draco turned his back on her as he dried his shirt and slipped it back on, buttoning it to the near top but stopping as to expose his chest. **

"**Why do you do that?!" she asked, exasperation written all over her face. He chuckled, raising his head over his shoulder towards her. **

"**Do what?" he asked innocently, working on his robe next. She leaned against the desk, toying with a quill. **

"**Leave part of your chest like that, it gets on my LAST nerve. Do you intentionally just shave around that small area, with those thin wisps of blonde hair? Do you stand in front of your mirror and, admiring your "maturity" and posing?" Her words came out rushed, irritated. He smirked, moving closer.**

"**And why would any of that concern you. No offense, but personally, id prefer it if I didn't supply you with facts that you can contribute to your silly little wet dreams." He finished with his tie and glanced towards the floor. "As much as I would LOVE to continue this banter, I want to get done with the floors. I have an appointment with a beautiful young Slytherin, who is most likely laying in my bed in her silk underwear waiting for me to ravish her." Ginny gagged, leaning over as if she were vomiting. **

"**Oh, EW! Malfoy, I did NOT need to know about your ten second sexual ventures. Really, details like that make me want to hex myself into the afterlife." She knelt down, shaking her head in disgust and began scrubbing again. "Besides, if you'd just help me, this would get done a lot faster." She glanced up at him expectantly. Slowly he bent his knees and grabbed a sponge. He placed a hand on the floor, the other scrubbing, "Is this the only portion left?" he asked warily, looking over towards her. She nodded, not looking up at him, her back bent into an arch, her hair falling infront of her eyes. Draco's eyes lingered on her body for a moment before he shook his head and returned to the floor.**

_**'I'm a Malfoy' **_**he thought, trying to focus **_**'she is a Weasley, she is my natural born enemy, a traitor. She's dirty, a waste of time. Not to mention the disgrace she would bring to my family! She's not gorgous, like everyone thinks. She can't be, her red hair SCREAMS danger, I can't think about this again..I hate her, I have to hate her.' **_

**Ginny glanced over at Draco as soon as his head dropped again, her eyes taking in his strong legs and the muscles extended in his arms, the sleeves of his robe pushed to his elbows. She glanced back down at the floor, lost in thought.  
**

'_**Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy' **_**she inwardly chanted, **_**'He is a MALFOY. He is not gorgous, I will NOT think about those arms around my waist. Waking up to that banter every glorious- NO! Bad. MALFOY. ENEMY. My family hates him, I hate him. Of course I hate him, he's a git. He's trouble. What's not to hate..'**_** she shook her head again and let out a small sigh.**

"**Hm?" he asked distractedly, barely looking up from his work.**

"What's it to you ferret?" she snapped, and then added, "I'm just sick of being around you, that's all.

_**'LIES, LIES, LIES.'**_** She thought, gritting her teeth. **_**'Shut up, it's not a lie. I hate being around him, I hate his very presence. Merlin, I'm talking to myself now; as if I weren't crazy enough.'**_

**He huffed, a small disappointment showing in his face. **

'_**I was hoping…no. Nothing like that, nothing like wanting. I don't want her to want me and I don't want to want her.' **_

**She stood up, cleaning up the bucket and setting it on the table, "Well, were done. I guess I'll see you Saturday. Looking forward to humiliating you again." It sounded flat, she frowned at the floor. He cocked his head to the side but pushed it aside.**

"**I'll be better prepared next time. Don't count on me letting you win next time, I won't pity you again." He smirked and walked towards the door. **

**She walked after him and stepped through the doorway, pushing past him. He glanced down at her ass, and smiled before glaring and growling. **

'_**Stop. Hideous, revolting, Weasley.' **_

"**What was that, Malfoy? A growl? Or a whimper?" she laughed at him, turning to face him. He couldn't tell which it was himself, honestly. A whimper of want or a growl of denial. **

**He glared back before smiling, "Just taking in my prey, planning my next attack." He started walking down the hall, "well, I guess this is goodnight. Try not to let the majority of your dreams contain me tonight, Weasley. I'd prefer not to star in your wicked little fantasies."**

"**Night Draco, try to last a little longer than ten seconds with her tonight. I'm sure she'll appreciate it." A pang of jealousy washed through her and she shook it off, disregarding it as disgust.**

He sneered at her playfully, "Night Weasley, hate you."

"**I hate you too Malfoy, with all my heart" she shot back. **

'_**Lies, Lies, Lies..' **_** she thought.**

'_**Lies, Lies, Lies' **_** he pondered and shook his head warily, before they walked in opposite directions.**


	2. 2: The Beggining to An Epiphany

Chapter 2: An Epiphany Of Sorts

Ginny flexed her fingers, looking hungrily towards the steaming food that had suddenly appeared in front of them. She glanced towards her brother, Ron, who was shoveling a piece of chicken down his gaping throat. She shook her head, a bit disgusted and amused before placing a piece of bread into her hand, biting off a chunk and setting it back down. Her eyes roamed the room, resting on a few faces now and again. Finally, they rested on the Slytherin table. A small group sat close together, apparently friends. On the far left, was Blaise Zambini, next to him sat Pansy Parkinson, examining her nails and chatting animatedly about the Quidditch game this coming Saturday. She could feel Draco's wave of irritation from across the room, she could read his lips as he snapped a quick, "I told you Pansy, I won't be there. So why don't you shut your trap." He shook his head angrily, turning away from her and towards the bored looking brown haired girl that sat on his other side. Pansy's face fell slowly and she clung to his arm, trying to regain his attention. He shook it off absentmindedly and started a silent small conversation with the girl. Ginny laughed out loud, the look on Pansy's face, and the way she pressed her body towards his again and again would seem pathetic to some, down right sickening. But Ginny remembered a time when she had done that to Harry, when she had sulked in her room because he was more interested in Cho than he was in her. She locked her eyes on Draco again, admiring the intent look he held on his face. He didn't look at this girl as if she were a piece of meat, but as if she were a person he cared about. A person he would hurt soon. He looked like he was in agony, it wasn't a look of love, but it was one of kindness. It was a new look for Draco. It shocked her slightly, and she had to force her eyes away. She glanced down at the table, picking at the piece of bread.

Draco glanced up from Anna's eyes, and toward the Gryffindor's table. A low sigh slid through his lips and he dropped his head into his hands, gripping his hair. Anna raised an eyebrow and glanced towards the table herself.

"I'm not an idiot." She muttered, her jaw set into a hard line, "I know how you look at her. I know how ashamed you are." His head snapped up and he glared dangerously, "Don't toy with me Anna. You know I'm with you, you know that I'm not leaving. You don't think I know what you would do as soon as I walked through your door. I'm not stupid either and I'm definitely not cruel enough to leave you behind in the emotional mess I've created for you." He shook his head, setting it back down into his hands, "You think too little of me."

"You are a Slytherin, it's the first thing that attracted me to you. The cunning, you went to such lengths to be with me. So excuse me, if I play a little dirty to keep you around. I don't want to lose you." A small smile lifted her features and she turned her body towards him again.

"Well, you've won Anna. I'm not leaving, how can I? You're a lot smarter than I gave you credit for. And even if I were to leave you, why would I for a Weasley? A vile, dirty, defiled piece of vermin who can't even dress herself." He smiled slightly, trying to 

convince her that he was happy. He glanced back towards the Gryffindor table, closing his eyes in frustration.

'_why, does she have to be a Weasley? Why does she have to be beau- she's not. Not even close to beautiful, not even close to extraordinary. And Anna, poor Anna. No doubt she'd follow through. Hanging herself because I left, for someone that- no. I can't think about that. I don't want to leave Anna for THAT. ESPECIALLY THAT. But maybe..maybe if I just got close enough, maybe a frie- no. Nothing like a friendship. Nothing like that. I don't like her." _

Draco rose from the table slowly, grabbing Anna's hand and pulling her from the room. Ginny saw the couple leaving, a pang of jealousy running through her. A slow hiss filtered through her teeth and she stabbed at the potatoes on her plate. Harry's hand found hers, and he drew small circles on her flesh. She glanced up and he smiled at her warmly.

"Are you worried about the O.W.L.s? Because they're a while away love, you shouldn't stress so much. You'll turn into Hermione." He smiled crookedly towards his friend as she sent a scathing look towards him. He chuckled and turned back to Ginny who had now focused her attention on him. She closed her eyes, trying to collect her thoughts, and forcing a small smile.

"Yeah. I just don't want to turn out TOO much like Fred and George, mum would have a heart attack. Her only daughter, a drop out and a delinquent. " she shook her head in mock sorrow. He laughed again and turned back to Ron, dropping his hand from Ginny's. She glanced at Hermione, who was looking at her. Her mouth formed the words, 'Denial' and it almost made Ginny laugh out loud. Hermione and Luna Lovegood were her two best friends. And Hermione had witnessed the decline in Ginny's happiness, how angry Harry got. He lost his temper more than once, and the outcome hadn't helped the couple. Ginny rose slowly from the table and began walking from the room, as Harry's eyes slowly followed her form.

"Where's she going?" he muttered darkly towards Ron. Ron just shrugged, oblivious and continued eating. Harry rose slowly after her, grabbing a biskit and taking a bite, "I'll be in the common room in a bit, Hermione. Would you mind spell checking my essay for me while I'm gone." She looked at him worriedly but nodded.

"I think Ginny wants to be left alone Harry.." she mumbled, looking down at her plate. He glared at her, raising his eyebrows.

"I know whats best for Ginny, I know what she wants. I know her better than any of you. Stay out of it Hermione." Hermione's eyes became heated.

"I'd watch who your telling to stay out of it Harry. I haven't told anyone yet. Not a thing, and I should. But you're my friend, and so is Ginny. If you don't watch yourself I'll tell 

Ronald, and I'm sure he won't like it. Actually, I'm sure the entire Weasley family won't like it." She glared dangerously at him and he glared back before stalking away.

"Tell me what?" asked Ron with a mouthful of food.

"Nothing," she mumbled, "We need to clean you up, you have a face covered in food particles." She laughed and began blotting at his face lovingly while he flinched away.

Ginny walked down the hallway, trying to hurry to her common room. She would NOT be humiliated by Harry tonight, not again. She felt a hand on her shoulder and someone turned her around. She was prepared to yell, demand why he was following her before she relized who it was. A wash of relief followed but it only lasted so long, before she felt her face contort into annoyance.

"Malfoy."

"Weasley." He mocked, releasing her shoulder and leaning against the wall.

"Anything you needed, Ferret, or can I get back to fleeing the scene?" she asked, glancing over his shoulder. He did the same before raising his eyebrows.

"Running from someone? Break a law, disobey your keeper?" he asked with a small smile.

"He's not my KEEPER Malfoy, and I don't see how that's HARDLY any of your business. Don't you have your own toy to deal with, without bothering with mine and what happens between us?" He shrugged, looking past her into the empty hallway.

"She's with her friends. I'd prefer not to hear about her friends sex lives. It's a bit disturbing, and to be frank, it sickens me a bit." He smirked, toying with the end of his tie.

"So you decided to sneak up on me? In the middle of the hallway, towards the Gryffindor common room? Don't you think that's just a bit suspicious, what are you up to Malfoy?" she asked icily. She crossed her arms across her chest and tilted her head expectantly.

'_Damn, caught'_ he thought, clenching his fists. _'Of course, it was not because I wanted to see her. Just a simple desire to mock her. Not that I missed our playful, almost flirtat- no. It was simply a desire to public humiliate her. Although, lacking an audience makes that pretty hard..'_

"Well, I decided I'd publicly humiliate you, Ginny. But I found that their was, a lack of people. It sort of defeats the purpose." He watched her carefully as her eyes narrowed, and then widened.

"What, Weasley? Why are you gawking at me like an idiot?" he asked irritated.

"You, called me Ginny." She gasped, completely shocked, looking a bit revolted.

"No, I called you Weasley" he defended, pushing off the wall.

"Before that." She countered, taking a step away from him.

"So did you, yesterday. I didn't react like I had just taken my slacks off in front of you and pulled out my "Utensils."". She shook her head.

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did, Weasley. But don't take my reference to your name as a sign of affection. Not even as a sign of respect. Just a slip of the tongue. Nothing more, don't go taking it the wrong way." He muttered. Hoping partially that she would. She growled.

"As if that would flatter me, It might cause me to put a bit more space between us. A few more feet might do it" she said, while moving backwards. He rolled his eyes before laughing suddenly, glancing behind him.

"Your masters angry with you Weasley, he's standing behind me. Smoldering, ready to kill me. As if he could." He laughed again and Ginny looked away, her cheeks turning pink as if she had been caught in a situation she shouldn't be in.

'_shit, shit shit. He's going to be angry. Not that I can't deal with him, but I don't need this. Not tonight. Stupid Drac- MALFOY. Being in this hallway, filthy reeking stalker." _

"Harry, no need to be angry. We were just talking, he wasn't bothering me." Harry continued glaring and moved in front of Draco, facing him.

"I'd appreciate it, Malfoy, if you would leave my girlfriend alone." He spoke the words through his teeth, trying to remain calm. His wand held tightly in his robe pocket."

"I'd appreciate it, Potter, if you didn't cut into other people's conversations. It's rude." Draco took a step closer, bringing his tensed face closer to Harry's. His wand was out of his pocket now, and dug into Harry's stomach. They both looked fierce and Draco's eyes were piercing.

'_He gets to sleep with her, hold her hand..I get a conversation now and then and he wants to take that away- what am I saying?! I don't CARE what I get to do with her..its simply about rudeness, the arrogant little twit..' _Draco's thoughts were clearly written on his face, although he tried to hide them. Harry turned to Ginny, suddenly wary of the wand in his stomach. He grabbed her wrist, tightening his grip as she tried to pull away.

"Come on Ginny, lets go back to the room." He said dangerously, putting emphasis on how angry he was.

"Is that how you treat a lady Potter, like a piece of trash? If I were you, I'd let go of her." Draco said, moving closer.

"Thanks both of you, for the dominance competition. But I can take care of myself, and I can do what I like, Harry. Without permission from anyone, including you." Her chin raised and she turned her face away from them. Draco crossed his arms and looked away as well. Harry grabbed her by the face and turned it towards him.

"I don't care what you THINK Ginny. I know what I'm doing. And we're going back to the room, NOW." His voice raised an octave and he looked angrier than before.

"NO, I'm _NOT!_" she shouted, trying to pull away from his grasp. Draco stepped away from them.

"See you later Ginny." He winked to anger Harry further, "Maybe we can get together, and have another one of our….fun conversations. Maybe somewhere more private next time." He smirked, glancing at Harry. Harry's face became red and he turned on Draco.

"In your dreams, Malfoy." He spat.

"Or hers" he responded, before turning away and walking down the hall.

"Don't come near her again!" he shouted after him, "Do you hear me?! I will HEX YOU INTO OBLIVION!" he screamed. Draco waved a hand in his air dismissively and turned a corner.

Ginny turned away and started walking in the other direction, before being turned around by Harry.

"Your not allowed to see him, ever again." He said, eerily calmly.

"Got it," she said sarcastically. He turned her around again and his face was really close to hers.

" I don't think you do" he hissed. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the hall and around the corner.

Draco glanced around, watching them walk off, a frown covering his features.

'_Please..Merlin..save her.' _


	3. 3: Relization

Chapter 3

"Stop." She smacked his hand away, trying to concentrate on her paper. He wound his hands around her waist again, sliding them beneath her shirt.

"Stop, Harry" she muttered, grabbing his hands and pushing them back down. She shifted, so that she wasn't in front of him and sucked on the end of her quill. He moved in front of her and sighed in frustration.

"Why?" he asked, resting his head on the edge of the table.

"Because I have to work," she muttered. He glared down at his fists.

"What if I didn't give you the option?" he asked, glancing up at her menacingly. She gulped, before putting on a brave face.

"Try it. See what Hermione does to you, not to mention my brother." Her threat was weak, but it was the best she could come up with, she was scared. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her across the table and cradling her in his arms.

"Have you been talking to Malfoy?" he demanded, holding her in his lap. She squirmed, trying to break free of his grasp. His hands tightened, and he held her in place.

"No." she breathed, squirming again and kicking out her legs. He carried her to the couch and laid her down, before pinning her with his body. He smiled, stroking her face with his thumb.

"Why are you putting up such a struggle love, it's not like I'm trying to hurt you." He laughed and placed her wrists above her head. The common room door opened and Hermione walked in, sporting Ronald on her arm. Her eyes widened and then squinted together, observing the situation. Harry averted his eyes from Ginny towards Hermione and Ginny took the opportunity to knee him in the groin and roll from the couch before running from the common room. The only noise in the corridor was the soft pattering of her feet against the stone. She breathed heavily, and continued running until she was near the Great Hall, where everyone had assembled for lunch. She knelt down on her knees so catch her breath, glancing up at the curious looks coming from a few Hufflepuff first years. She stood straight after a few moments of ragged breathing and walked towards the double door leading to the lake. She pushed through them, blinded by sunlight and began walking across the damp grass. She slid her shoes and socks off, and sighed with slight relief. The wet grass felt good against her feet, and the sun felt warm against her skin. She slid the band from her wrist and positioned her hair into a pony tail before walking farther. As she walked, she slid off her robe, and began unbuttoning her t-shirt to reveal a black undershirt. The straps fell over her shoulders but left her arms bare. She rested her body against a giant tree near the lake's edge and stretched, closing her eyes in tranquility. Owl's flew over head, and the squid splashed playfully in the murky water. It glistened in the sunlight and she let her pale 

fingers extend to play with the petals of a red flower growing near the trees base. She opened her eyes, peeking from under her lashes towards the trees leaves. Watching as a bird pecked at the frail wood, searching for food. A nest sat close by and a few baby's chirped hungrily.

'_it LIVES for something.' _She thought, continuing to stare. _'It lives for its children. To protect them, to feed them, to make sure they grow up and become what she is. What am I living for?'_ She shook her head feebly. She hadn't had a good reason for living in quite a while. She couldn't really remember the last time she had enjoyed herself. Well, that wasn't true. She had enjoyed the banter with Draco a few days ago. She had enjoyed how easily she could speak, unafraid and unharmed.

'_No. That couldn't have been the last time I had enjoyed myself. Not with Malfoy, not even in his presence." _She thought, picking at the flower again. The water looked comforting, and welcoming. Cool, beckoning her. She glanced behind her, and noticed that no one was around. Probably because lunch had barely started and the students seemed more ravenous lately. She looked back and forth nervously for a moment before rising to her feet, and walking to the lakes edge. She glanced behind her once more before slipping off her undershirt and throwing it into the pile of other unwanted clothing. She slid off her skirt, leaving her in a red bra and knickers. She let her hair from it's pony tail, and jumped in.

Draco watched from the door, eyes widening as her clothing found the ground. He could feel his mouth drop open, his eyes quickly sweeping over her body as she dove into the dark water. He slowly pushed open the door and started walking towards the lake, keeping a careful eye on Ginny. Her form rose from the water, as she slicked her hair back with one hand. She smiled, her body glistening with the water. She bobbed on the surface for a moment before diving back in. Draco finally made it to the lake's edge and he knelt beside it, looking into the water. She didn't rise for a while and he wondered if maybe she had spotted him. He knelt closer, and put his face closer to the water. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the water and grabbed his shirt, pulling him into the water. He gasped before inhaling a mouthful of the murky substance, closing his eyes as the water rushed into his sockets. He kicked and broke through the surface and gasped for air, spitting out mouthfuls of water. Ginny was a few feet away, laughing merrily and clapping her hands.

"Best-expression-ever!" she laughed, barely able to breathe. She held her torso under the water, laughing harder and trying to open her eyes so she could stare at Draco. The look on his face sent her into another fit. Anger, puzzlement, and irritation.

"This isn't funny." He stated, starting towards the edge again.

"But….but it is!" she giggled, walking after him before realizing what she was wearing and ducking back into the water. He turned, raising an eyebrow and grabbing for his wand.

"That was entirely unnecessary Weasley, and now you owe me. Do you really want to be in the debt of a Malfoy?" he asked, carefully drying off his clothes. She shook her head slowly.

"I think you're the one in debt with ME Malfoy. Where's your sense of fun, of adventure, of spontaneity? I was livening up your pathetic little life. You should thank me." She smiled warmly.

"For soaking me?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, it's the only way I can have a normal conversation with you. By humiliating you. Now hand me my clothes. I'm cold." She glanced towards the pile and back towards Draco expectantly. He raised his eyebrows slowly and a small smirk found his lips.

"I don't want to." He said slowly, "I'd rather not." She looked shocked and then angry.

"Stop playing games, give me my clothes." She demanded, glaring at him.

"I don't think I will. I think I'll wait till you come out and get them yourself."

"Are you waiting for a free show? I'm not showing you my bum again now hand over the clothes, I'm cold." She complained.

"Nope, don't wanna." He said smugly, sitting down on the fresh grass. Then she did something he didn't expect, she got out of the water.

"Worthless, annoying, lazy little git.." she muttered, walking over to her clothes. Draco reached out and grabbed them, standing up. He was still a bit shocked, but not shocked enough to have a little bit of fun.

"Draco.." she said sweetly, trying to change her demeanor, "Give me, the clothes."

"No." She glared and walked towards him slowly

"I'm not kidding." She said dangerously.

"Neither am I." he smirked and started towards the Quidditch field. She ran after him.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, trying to keep up with his pace.

"Were going to race. For your clothes, that is. I'm going to get my broom out of the locker room. And I expect you to do the same. Although, I'm sure it might be a bit difficult for you to fly without clothing. Oh well." He smiled and entered the large gate, walking towards the other end of the field where the locker rooms were. Ginny stood there completely furious and looked down before turning dark pink.

'_Weasley has a beautiful bo- No she doesn't. MERLIN what am I saying?! What am I DOING?! Having Ginny follow me around in her knickers. Her REALLY flatter- no. She isn't beautiful, she isn't charming or witty or…' _ he trailed off, cutting off his thoughts before entering the locker room and began searching for his broom.

Ginny walked to the Gryffindor locker room and grabbed her broom from her compartment. "What does he think he's doing? This is HIGHLY inappropriate, a bit exciting..but I won't enjoy it. Except for beating him, and winning my clothing back. Clever little deceitful git. See if I owe him anything now.." she continued muttering and walked outside and mounted her broom. Draco was waiting outside the locker room door and smiled, his eyes wandering over her figure.

"Not a bad look for you Weasley. Although, you might want to consider loosing a bit of weight. I see a bit of pudge beneath those endearing red panties.

'_Lies. More lies. She's perfec- What the HELL am I saying? She is FAR from perfect, far from anything I'd ever want.'_

She scowled at him, and narrowed her eyes."Don't worry, just for you I'll stop eating Malfoy. Now, can we get on with it?" she asked, grasping the broom handle and leaning forward.

"Sure." He said, gulping as he surveyed this new angle of her chest. "From here to the edge of the forest, where the bridge is." He said slowly, "First there wins. If you win you get your clothes back."

"And if you win?" she asked carefully.

"I keep them as a souvenir and you get to walk back to the castle naked." He smirked and she scowled but then smiled.

"Okay. Shake." She said, extending her hand. He extended his and their palms touched. Ginny felt a small rush flow through her and she smiled a small smile. Draco returned it and he mounted his broom.

"On the count of three." He instructed. "One…Two…THREE!"

And they were off. The air rushed against Ginny's face, her hair whipping behind her. Her thighs tightened against her broom and she kept her body low to grow momentum. She kept her eyes ahead and her hands tight against the handle.

Draco twisted around trees, avoiding trunks and trying to focus on the task at hand. He glanced towards Ginny and appraised the sight. Thighs tight against the wood, small muscles tightening. Her body resting against the handle. He looked up just in time to see the tree before smacking into it.

Ginny turned to see Draco falling to the ground. Her head bleeding and his body limp. She maneuvered her broom towards him and made a dive, catching him before he hit the ground. Her broom dropped a bit from the combined weight and she slowly lowered it to the ground. She got off, resting his body in the dirt and surveying his head. A pang of panic came over her and she hurried to take out her wand.

"Please, please, please be okay." She said out loud, running her wand silently over the gash and healing it. She cleaned the blood off of him and raised her hand behind her before smacking him hard in the face. He gasped hard and his eyes opened, his face stinging.

"What the HELL Weasley?! What was THAT for?!" he asked, sitting up and then laying back down because of the spinning.

"You hit a tree, moron. So I woke you up." She rolled her eyes, but smiled in relief. He shook his head.

"I guess this means you win" he grumbled, rubbing his head. She smiled and grabbed her clothes from beneath his robes.

"Thanks." She started sliding her clothes on and sat back down.

"I can't believe you hit a tree Malfoy, how did you not SEE it? It was right inf ront of you face" He glared and sat up again, the spinning a bit better this time.

"I was making sure you didn't have a lead on me, it doesn't seem like it mattered though does it?" Ginny leaned against a tree and set her broom with Draco's.

"Well, your in no condition to ride now. And my broom can't support both of us. So I guess we wait here until your okay again?" She tried hiding the evident satisfaction in her voice, to get to spend a bit more time with Malfoy. He glared but sat back as well, knowing he wouldn't be going anywhere for a bit.

"So…about Potter's fit the other day…" he began, looking nervous.

"What about it?" she asked quietly. She knotted her hands together. Messing with her finger nails.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked slowly, staring at the ground.

"Why do you care?" she asked throwing pebbles into the dark trees.

"I don't know…" he admitted, glancing at her. She looked back, not blinking.

"No. He didn't hurt me." She said slowly and looked away from him. Tears welled up and he extended a hand but then retracted it. It wouldn't be smart to get close to Ginny.

'_I don't want to, I don't care about her. Fuck…I'm falling in love with her.'_ He had finally admitted it, and instead of feeling relieved he felt sick. Sick for betraying his family, sick for loving his nature born enemy and sick for knowing he could never do anything about it.

She moved away from him. "What about this Anna girl, are you two happy?" she asked, looking up again, ignoring the tears streaking down her face.

"In a way" he answered honestly. "She's happy. I'm not. I'm sort of trapped, there's no emotion besides the evident human affection, some form of closeness, but nothing like romance." Ginny nodded slowly and looked back towards the forest.

"Trapped?" she asked after a few minutes. He nodded slowly and smiled a small sad smile.

"She'll kill herself if I leave. I might be secluded, and a bit of an ass at times, but I'm not a murderer, and I'm not cruel."

"I believe you" she whispered and kicked at the dirt, before quickly wiping away the tears.

"Why don't you leave Potter?" he asked, watching her now.

"Because I owe him. And honestly, If I can't have the person I want than I don't want to be alone." She wouldn't meet his eyes. He was jealous, of the person she WANTED to be with and he looked away too.

"Who?" he asked slowly.

"Who what?" she asked confused.

"Who do you want to be with, besides Potter?" he asked, his fists clenching. That hadn't gone unnoticed.

"He's in a different house, but he's taken. He's trapped. And he doesn't want me. So why does it matter?" she asked, a new set of tears flowing.

He looked at her, wondering for a moment if it could be him before shaking his head. He couldn't deal with that sort of disappointment and he couldn't be with her even if he wanted to, even if he would be happy, even if it were allowed.

"You seem to have gotten better." She noted, "Want to go back?"

"Not really" he replied, "But I have a feeling Potter won't be too happy if you stay out too much longer." It came out angry and spiteful and she smiled slightly.

"See you in detention Malfoy. Thanks for the clothes back." She mounted her broom, "Good luck with Anna."

"I'd say good luck with Potter, but personally I think your better off alone." He got on his broom too.

"See you tomorrow Draco." She muttered.

"Bye Ginny." He smiled and took off. She waited for a few moments before doing the same.


	4. 4: Falling Apart

Chapter 4

Ginny walked through the double doors, into the great hall. She held her head up high, walking towards her table and sitting down, hiding her face underneath her hair. Harry looked smug beside her, grabbing for her hand. She flinched away and shot him an angry look. Hermione looked up for the first time that day and looked at Ginny. A gasp escaped her lips and they pressed into a firm line.

"Harry, what did you DO?!" she breathed, reaching towards Ginny. She moved the hair away, looking at the bruising that covered her face.

"She disobeyed me, she told me to leave her alone. So, I hit her. She's mine Hermione and I'd appreciate it if you didn't bother with other people's business." Ginny pushed Hermione's hand away and started in on her food.

"Don't bother with it Hermione. Leave it alone, really. I'm fine." Hermione shook her head in disbelief before looking towards Harry.

"Harry..I know things have been hard for you lately but is this really any way to treat her? Especially when she hasn't done anything to you?"

Ginny glared towards Hermione, "Really, leave it. Don't make this worse." Hermione went quite and stared down at her plate. Ron entered the room, putting his bag down by the table. He looked at Harry, then to Hermione wondering what the unbearable silence was for.

"Hey mates..what's.." he looked at Ginny and his mouth fell open slightly. He peered closer and then looked furious, confused.

"What happened Ginny?" She shook her head unwillingly.

"Leave it, Ron. You and Hermy should mind your own business. This situation is controllable, just leave it." Ron tilted her head up with his index finger, looking at the bruises. He glanced at Harry and then realization hit him.

"I am going to KILL you" he yelled, raising from the table. Harry moved back, and got up too, looking just as furious.

"You should take your sisters advice Ron, STAY OUT OF IT." His fists were clenched at his sides and he moved his face close to Ron's, prepared for a fight.

"How could you do this to her? What did she do to YOU?!" Ron thundered. By this time the entire hall was staring at the pair, including Draco.

Draco glanced up from his and Anna's entangled hands towards the Gryffindor table. He smiled slightly, enjoying the current riff between Weasley and Potter. He let go of 

Anna's hand and walked towards the table to get a better look, to see what they were fighting over. His smile slowly faded as he got to the table. Ron and Harry were face too face, screaming; over Ginny.

"Just wait till my mum gets a hold of you Harry! Until she figures out what you did to her only daughter! Fred and George are going to tear you to bits!" he shouted, before stomping out of the room. Draco walked over to Ginny quickly and pulled her face up to his view gently. She tried to pull away but he held it in place. He froze, his body tensing before turning to Harry..

"Potter…what have you done?" he asked, teeth clenched, trying to control his temper. The entire great hall was quite now. The teachers stood nervous at the head table, unsure what to do yet.

"I put her in her place Malfoy, since when did you care? She's none of your concern."

'_She's all of my concern.' _He thought, feeling broken, _'But how am I supposed to protect her and keep this a secret. How could he mangle her face like that?'_

"It doesn't matter whether I care about her or not, it's about dignity Potter. And picking on someone that can't punch as hard as you isn't exactly noble. Now why don't you go back to your common room before I hit you as hard as you hit her." He raised his eyebrows in a threatening manner and took a step closer.

"Why don't you go deal with your own girlfriend instead of mine. At least mine doesn't make a peep of complaint after the first few minutes that I take her." He smirked ruthlessly.

"Are you insinuating rape on your own part, Potter?" he asked, his face growing paler than usual. If that were possible.

Harry stepped closer, smiling broadly now, "I'm more than insinuating Malfoy." Draco drew back his fist and pushed it forward, making it collide with Harry's face. He heard a crunch and Harry stumbled back, blood flowing from his nose. Draco drew back his fist again but there was a restraining hand this time. Dumbledore stood behind him, holding his fist in place.

"My office, Mr. Malfoy. Harry, go to the hospital wing." Draco looked appalled.

"So that's it? He gets off with nothing and I get in trouble for pay back?" he shouted, turning around.

"Mr. Malfoy, I will take care of Mr. Potter. That isn't your problem. Go to my office, I will meet you there momentarily."

Draco stalked off, glancing behind him angrily every few moments before he was gone. Harry hadn't left to go to the hospital wing and he stared at Dumbledore, pleading with him to help him.

"Well Mr. Potter, this will be quite the mess to clean up. Go to the hospital wing, we'll discuss how we can fix this later. Let me deal with Draco." Harry nodded once and went through the opposite double doors towards the hospital wing. Ginny stared down at her plate, picking at her food. She ignored the curious eyes coming from all directions.

"Hermione, do you have a spell that could fix this, maybe?" Hermione smiled gently, and stood up.

"I'll see what I can dig up Ginny. I'll try to fix it. I'm going to the library, I'll be back in a bit." She smiled slightly again and left.

Draco stalked silently to the gargoyle statue. He waited for the Professor to show. He hadn't even heard him behind him until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, glaring hard.

"How could you let him do this? Don't you have ANY respect for the Weasley family? Any sort of feeling for what's right and what's wrong?"

"Your discussing right and wrong with me, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked, before muttering the password. "I would think that you wouldn't care about what happened to the young Weasley girl."

"It's not that I care.." he mumbled, "But I just don't understand why something like that can just go unjustified. I would never do that to Anna, even to Ginny." They walked up the staircase together before entering. Draco crossed to the chair, sitting down slowly and lounging back.

"Well…Mr. Malfoy, I see that you already have one detention tonight. I don't want to have to give you another one. But I do have one request, Mr. Malfoy. For the time being, my main concern in Mr. Potter. He's going through a hard time right now, and I don't need him under any more stress. So I would ask, that you don't speak to Ms. Weasley, anymore. For the time being." He peered at him through his spectacles, and waited for a response. Draco's jaw dropped.

"I can't believe that your taking his side, that your trying to benefit him in some way. Ginny just got the SHIT beaten out of her because your favorite got a little angry and probably a little drunk and you want ME to stay away from her?!"

"I don't see why that would be a problem Mr. Malfoy, seeing as how you and Ms. Weasley don't get along, and you don't seem to like each other. It wouldn't be a problem, would it?" he asked, eyes twinkling. "I also, request Mr. Malfoy that you don't use that sort of language in my office. That is all, I hope you have a pleasant rest of 

your day." He stood, indicating that it was time for him to leave. Draco rose slowly, trying to sort it all out. He walked towards the door slowly, shaking his head.

'_I can't talk to her anymore, or can I? No. Even if Dumbeldor hadn't made that stupid rule. After that punch my classmates must be wondering about me and Ginny. I can't let them know how I feel. I'd be a laughing stalk. It's better if I went back to ignoring her. Not even being cruel, just ignoring her.' _A wash of sadness ran over him as he walked down the staircase and he walked through the hallway silently. He heard footsteps behind him and saw Blaze running after him. He caught up breathless and Draco slowed his pace.

"What was THAT about mate? Not that I mind you breaking Potter's nose, but why would you do it over something as trivial and unnecessary as Ginny Weasley?" Draco's temper flared at the cruel words distributed towards Ginny but relaxed, calming himself and contorting his features into a smirk.

"It wasn't about Ginny. I went to investigate and Potter got a little smart with me. Couldn't let him get away with disrespecting a Malfoy now could I?" he asked, glancing over at his friend.

"Guess not. But did you SEE Weasley? She was all sorts of messed up. Not that I care of her traitor of a family, but even I wouldn't go that far. Potter's gotta be nuts to be doing things like that." Draco nodded, entering the dungeons and going towards the common room entrance.

"Pureblood." He muttered. The door opened and he walked into the dark green common room, sitting in an armchair by the fireplace. Anna walked over to him, and sat in his lap. Moving the hair away from his face.

"Did you get into more trouble Draky?" he asked, stroking his face. He twitched slightly, trying to covertly move away.

"No. But I'm not supposed to talk to Weasley anymore. Not that that's a problem." He muttered, giving up and wrapping a hand around her waist. It felt wrong, it felt like he was deceiving someone, almost…cheating. He cringed, he wasn't. because he had nothing with Ginny and after tonight she might even hate him more than she already did. If he followed through with his plan. Anna nodded, smiling brightly.

"Are we having a sleep over tonight?" she whispered in his ear. Stroking his neck now and repositioning herself in his lap.

"I can't. I have detention. I'll get in late, I won't have time to get to the room of requirements. Sorry, maybe another night." He mumbled, moving her from his lap.

"I have to go. I have detention soon and I don't want to be late again." Anna looked up at him dejected and he sighed slightly.

"I'll try Anna, I will. I'll stop by after detention and see if your asleep or not okay?" She brightened and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks love, I'll be waiting." She walked up to her dorm and he took the opportunity to leave. He walked slowly towards the Potions room where he would be categorizing potions with Ginny.

'_I can't believe I'm about to do this. I don't even know if I can, but I have to. I can't be shamed like this, if we got caught. And I can't cause her to fight with Potter again. It would end badly for her. And for me..'_ he sighed and walked into the room where Ginny was sitting on a desk, swinging her legs.

"Hey Draco." She smiled slightly, her bruises gone. "Hermione's a life saver. I know you don't like her but really, she knows more healing spells than anyone I know." Draco was silent, moving over the closet to get the potions ready. She jumped off the desk.

"I know we haven't gotten along in the past, but really, our talk the other day made me feel…different. I think we could give a good shot at friendship if we tried. I mean, I think we already are…I think it could work. I'd like it to work." She walked towards him and he turned, setting the potions on the desk. Not meeting her eyes and sorting through them. She looked at him curiously.

"What do you think?" she asked, playing with the labels. Here was his opening, his opportunity.

'_I have to do this. I have to. It's going to hurt like hell, but I have to do it.'_ He clenched his teeth, looking up with a false glare. He took a step away from her.

"I think that your worthless, that your barely good enough to be in my presence, let alone TALK to me. Your lucky I even got as close to you as I did. I wanted a quick view at what was under those baggy hand me down clothes of yours, and I didn't like what I saw. No offense Weasley, but I'd rather get in someone else's knickers. Someone a bit less…wide and someone a bit more tuned. Maybe it was a good thing Potter put you in your place, because I would have if he wouldn't have. I was just looking for an excuse to hit him. But I want nothing more to do with you. I've seen my opportunities and I'd rather die before sliding into a worthless little piece of nothing like you. You would have been nothing but a booty call, but your not even good enough for that. So why don't you get started on these labels and ignore that we ever had a civilized conversation because I'm done trying to get into your pants." It hurt a lot worse than he would have thought. Telling her those lies, trying to explain the exact opposite of how he was feeling. The truth was, he was falling in love with her.. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever set eyes on. The smartest, the thing that made his day brighten. She made him laugh, feel wanted, someone who was intelligent who could hold a conversation. He would rather spend a lifetime with her, lacking any form of sexual relationship than spend a night sleeping with her and than leaving her again. What hurt the most though, was 

watching the look in her eyes, the light drain from them. The faint chance that she loved someone and that they would protect her, fade away. She looked like she was about to crumble where she stood and she grabbed at the table for support.

"You really mean that?" she croaked. Looking up at him with a pained expression on her face.

"More than you know" he mumbled, going back to the potions.

'_Take It back, take it back, please please please tell me you didn't mean it. Tell me you were just joking, that you want to be friends, tell me something, anything.' _ She begged silently, tears welling in her eyes.

'_Take it back, take it back! _He screamed at himself, trying to concentrate on the work so he wouldn't break. _'Tell her you want her, tell her you need her, tell her she's perfect and indescribable.'_ She didn't care that he was watching, or that he was standing there with a smirk on his face. She fell to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees and starting sobbing. They were broken and sharp and rocked her entire body, she jolted back and forth and he looked down, appalled at himself for doing this to her.

"Get up Weasley." He said sharply. "Get up now, stop this it's not the end of the world."

"FUCK YOU" she screamed, sobbing again. He stepped back, "I'm leaving. If you don't stop this right now. You'll have to do this all by yourself and you'll be all alone. So knock it off before I make you" he threatened. She looked up scared and he immediately regretted his words as she started crying harder. He walked to the door, opening it and looking back one last time.

"Pull yourself together." He commanded, and left the room. Slamming the door on the way out.


	5. 5: Hermione

Authors Note: Hey guys, I'm sorry that it took so long to do this chapter. This one was a bit more difficult than the others and I had a bit of a hard time getting into character. This chapter is from Hermione's point of view in first person, describing Ginny and Harry's relationship this far. I appreciate all the reviews you guys have been submitting and I really appreciate the support.

Chapter 5

I had witnessed a lot of things in my time with Harry and Ginny. Most people don't give me enough credit for how observant I am. They don't think I see, but I do. It started out like anything of that sort would. Some mindless flirting, a light in both of their eyes that could only be explained away by a true blissful love. I myself was never the sort to be so irrational as to believe everything could be solved away with romance, but they really seemed to be caught up in each other. This was, of course after Harry had defeated Voldimort. Your probably wondering why were still at Hogwarts. I wasn't quite sure myself at the beginning. In all reality we should have been forced to leave. But we felt like we belonged there, we felt like we missed out. We needed another year, or at least, Harry needed another year. He had seemed more relaxed back then, towards the beginning with Ginny. She had started something new inside of him. It took the nightmares away, and I remember him telling Ron and I that this was his turning point. The end of the depression, of the hallucinations. I have to admit we were a little skeptical, and a bit wary. But for months it had seemed that this really was his turning point. That he really was making a change. The first set of bruises were right after the school dance. A fifth year had been a bit arrogant and had asked Ginny for banter. She came down to breakfast that morning without saying a word a dance. She laughed in his face but Harry had taken it as a bit more than just some friendly, she wouldn't explain anything. Harry cried on me that night, he had felt terrible. Begged her for forgiveness. And to my shock she had taken him back. It wasn't like Ginny at all. Usually she would flee at the first sign of any disrespect, but this time she had given in. Maybe she had lost her will, or maybe she was just terrified. But I always thought and still think to this day, that she knew it would destroy her if she thought her "hero" were a villain. So she accepted it, and on those rare occasions when Harry would have a lapse of judgment, or when he would get paranoid and accuse her of treachery, she would come to breakfast with a new set of bruises and she wouldn't say a word. Nearly never at least. I think the fear consumed her, or fueled her at the very least. But either way the light was gone and Harry seemed more out of it than he had in the beginning. Maybe he knew what he had done was wrong, but it was hard to tell. He was knew, hiding himself in a carefully layered shell. Every once and a while he would be so unexpectedly kind and generous that we would have to pretend that we were happy. It was hard to disappoint a hopeful face. I think he loved her, he must have at one point, he must still love her somewhere deep down but it was hard to imagine it. The worst of his breakdowns was three months ago. It was snowing lightly, and Ginny had stayed out in the fields for a while longer than she had let on. She got in late, after removing most of her wet clothing. She was sliding herself into the warm prefect bathtub when someone opened the door. At first she was relieved, before a heavy blow went towards her head and she fell face first into the water. That's when it was taken from her, and the first time she had 

broken up with him. Afterwords he had hugged her and stroked her cheek and told her that it was amazing. He had asked if it was for her as well, and she told him it was over. Before he could get angry she ran to my room and told me what had happened. Of course at first I was furious, prepared to kill. But Ron would find out, and Harry really WOULD have been killed. I was caught, you can understand. So I just comforted Ginny until she fell asleep. But the breakup didn't last long. I think Ginny felt guilty about the look he held on his face for the weeks after the incident. They started talking again, he started laughing, joking and she seemed a bit more comfortable around him. Things were going better than usual. They got back together, but that night things went from amazing to horrific. He had done it again, but this time he had threatened her life and in response I threatened his. She started drifting and the light left his eyes again, completely. I had seen her around Malfoy more and more often, and it worried me. But oddly enough not as much as her being around Harry. I know what your thinking, that I should have stepped in. But I care about Harry, and I didn't want others involved. I suppose it was unavoidable considering that Ronald found out today and that any moment now he will be sending the letter to his mom. Things are falling apart, all over again. Except this time, it's not falling apart for us. It's falling apart for Ginny.


	6. 6: An End and a Beginning

Chapter 6

Draco glanced around the hall nervously. He hadn't seen Ginny in a few days, make a week if he had counted wrong. The first few weeks were rough, for both of them. He had seen her cry, sulk, and then finally drain of life. It seemed that lately she had gotten better maybe, but now this. A sudden disappearance. It made him uneasy and a little sick. Anna had become a bit more hostile lately, possibly because of his inability to "perform." Thinking about Ginny during every moment of consciousness had it's disadvantages and experiencing the pain of her absence didn't necessarily help arousal. He peeked at her as he thought this, and she was staring back.

"What?" she asked, annoyance flooding her voice.

"I need to talk to you." He sighed, turning towards her and taking her hands. He had been preparing for this, readying himself just in case this time had to come. But he couldn't do it anymore, he couldn't pretend. He couldn't let her live in illusion.

"About?" she asked, softening her features and tilting her head. He cringed, opening his mouth before closing it again. For all the preparation he had put himself through, this was nothing close to the practice.

"Anna..I'm not going to put you through this anymore" he said slowly. Best make this about her, make her thing it's out of love than anything mean or horrible. So much for saving her from her illusions. Her eyes were confused and she gripped his hand hard.

"I don't understand." Her words came out slightly strangled and she stared at him intently.

"I know you don't, and I'm sorry. I don't understand half of what's going on either. But, I'm going away Anna. And I can't take you with me, not where I'm going."

'_and the lies keep coming'_ he thought feebly. She sat up straighter and peered at him through tearful eyes.

"Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you." She took in a deep breath.

"We can make it work."

"No we can't." he stated bluntly. She shook her head back and forth dejected.

"I don't understand." She said again, looking back up at him as tears streaked her face. He sighed heavily, worried that she was thinking along the same lines he was, suicide.

"Listen, Anna, please listen to me. This is just as hard on me as it is on you.." he scratched his head trying to find the right words to make this whole mess end. To make it just disappear, to make it somehow possible to patch up him and Ginny. As if there were a him and Ginny to begin with. He scoffed at himself and looked back up at Anna. Her eyes were red and puffy and he was tempted to look away from the sadness he had inflicted. "I can't do us anymore Anna, you and I…we are not together anymore. Understand? Please…understand." He took her hand and squeezed it hard, begging her to make this easier on him. She just shook her head, rejecting his decision.

"You promised. You PROMISED. A promise can't be broken, it means too much. Your word means TOO much to me. It would break me, I can't accept this." She said, looking back at him with terrified eyes.

"I know I did Anna, I promised a lot of people a lot of things. I promised you that I'd never lie, I lied a lot. I'm trying to make this easy, why can't you make it easy?" he asked, letting go of her clenched fingers and running his through his hair. "Why can't you just accept it, be sad and move on like a normal person. Date whoever, date a GRYFFINDOR for all I care, just move on. And do it fast, it'll make things so fucking easy." He groaned in frustration and turned away from her.

"I don't want anyone else.." she whispered, reaching towards him. He jerked back and glared, deciding to take a different route since his sincere route wasn't working the way he had planned.

"To bad." He said coldly, and stood up. "I'm done Anna. I can't go on pretending anymore. I care about you, but loving you?" he shook his head, "I can't love you. I'm incapable of loving you. It's better we break it off now." Her eyes were still wide, plastered that way. And her face seemed the color of a corpse. He imagined her, a corpse then and cringed from the idea. But he also cringed away from the idea of being tied down to Anna for the rest of his pitiful existence and it was worse the other image. She wouldn't do it, he didn't think she would. She didn't like him THAT much. What they had was nothing more than infatuation and entrapment. She stood from her chair slowly and walked towards the doors without another word. Draco put his head on the table and let out a slow breath. He glanced towards the Gryffindor table again and realized for the second time this evening that Ginny was missing from it. Harry wore a smirk that made Draco want to punch him again, and again. Maybe do more damage this time. He shook his head again and rose from the table and walked towards theirs. He gingerly tapped Hermione on the shoulder, uncomfortable by the awkward stares he was receiving. Hermione turned around slowly, ignoring the glare from Harry and raised her eyebrows.

"Malfoy." She said icily. He sighed, knowing he deserved it from the way he had left Ginny. Even before that, if Hermione and him weren't friends, at least they had an understanding. A link, and that link was Ginny.

"Granger." He said silkily, sitting down beside her and moving Ron out of the way with his hips. "I need information." He mouthed, glancing towards Harry. She thought about it for a moment, turning back to her food to think.

"Maybe." She responded aloud. "But give me a reason why I should."

"Outside. I'll tell you everything out there." She looked at him for one long moment before getting up and walking towards the doors. She turned and looked at him before beckoning with her hand. Draco followed, keeping his eyes down and pushing through the doors and stopping in the halls.

"I should rip your face off." She said automaticly, taking a step away from him.

"If I could do it myself I would, believe me."

"Do you have any idea the mess you left behind?" she said angrily, her fists clenching. "Any idea what I had to find and take care of?"

"Yeah, actually, I do." He said quietly. "I've been watching, regretting it. Wishing I could take it back. But I can't, and I just want to know if she's okay, where she is, what she's doing, if she mentions me.." he said the last part while looking away, embarrassment flushing his cheeks.

"Why should I give you the satisfaction Malfoy, why should I give you the benefit."

"Because I love her." He blurted, still looking away. "Because I can't stand not knowing. Because as long as she's happy I can be sane and sleep at night." He muttered.

"I should let you wallow; I should let you FEEL bad. But I know Ginny misses you as much as you miss her…" she shook her head and sucked in a deep breath.

"She's in her room preparing. She cried a bit, because she knows what she was planning to do In a couple of hours. She was going to break up with Harry and beg for you back, because in all honesty she is MISERABLE." She sighed slowly and took a step forward. "Let her fix this. And when she comes yelling and wishing for you back, don't make another mistake."

He nodded, trying to hide his smile. "Thanks Hermione, I owe you."

"Were not on first name basis yet Malfoy, just make Ginny happy. It's all I ask for, she's my best friend, my sister in law, in a way." He nodded and started to walk away.

"She loves you Malfoy, realize that."

He smiled, before turning the corner.


	7. 7: Together Again

Chapter 7

Draco walked swiftly through the halls, a smile placed on his face.

'_I can fix things. I can do this..I can make things better. WE can be together.'_ He shook his head in disbelief, loping towards the Gryffindor common room. He received odd stares the entire way but he could care less at this point. The relief that she was okay was overpowering and it pushed him forward.

Harry sat on the other side of the castle, discussing the situation with an old "friend." A slytherin that he had spent a few weeks with during a painfully slow summer. She had lived near him and he had discovered her one day while sitting on the swing set by his house. Currently, he was sitting across from her and staring intently.

"How do you know he's going to make things better?" he asked with clenched teeth. His eyes intent and cold and piercing. She gulped, as if she regretted telling him anything about the situation.

"He wouldn't have ended it with me unless he wanted her. I see the way he stares, he's been worried. Always glancing at the table, disappearing to monitor the halls."

"He is head boy."

"This is different than head boy duty. This is sincere caring for the Weasley girl, and I bet that if he thinks he has a chance he's going to go do something about it. She doesn't love you as much as you think she does Potter." He growled dangerously before standing.

"If your wrong, and I take action, it'll be your head on the stake." He walked away swiftly, headed towards the Gryffindor tower, which was less than a few feet away from his current location.

"Pumpkin juice" he muttered, gliding through the door and stomping his way over to the couch where Ginny sat waiting. She raised her eyebrows, mocking his anger and received a blow to the cheek. She could feel the blood from her split lip and she licked at it, trying not to swallow the over flow of blood that was filling her mouth. She spit it out at his shoes, and grabbed for her wand. He grabbed it from the table and slipped it into his pocket.

"Malfoy's on his way to see you, did you know that?" Her eyes widened in true surprise, and she shook her head gripping the edge of the couch. She spit out another mouthful of blood before opening her mouth to speak.

"I haven't talked to Malfoy in weeks, just like you wanted. But that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm glad you're here..in a way." The bitterness in her voice was obvious 

and she rose to stand in front of him. She braced herself to be thrown back towards the couch but he just stood gazing angrily at her.

"Harry for the past couple of years we've had our ups and downs. You've put me through hell and back and I just put up with it. Till this day I'm still not sure why." Despite her harsh words her voice was small and oddly southing, trying to dull the blow. "And I can't do it anymore. I don't love you anymore, you've made sure of that. I won't, and can't be with you anymore. This isn't even about Draco, he doesn't want me and…and I don't want him." She had trouble saying the last part. Harry just stood staring, his eyes blank. His face made out of glass, reflecting the sudden rush of emotion.

"No." he muttered, shaking his head.

"Harry, there's no other option. We're over. The sooner you move on, the better."

"NO!" he screamed, clenching his jaw tightly. "NO, NO, NO! Your MINE." He screamed, drawing his fist back. She cringed, folding over slightly as his fist came down on the side of her head.

"FUCK!" she screamed, feeling the searing pain of the punch. She backed away, falling onto the couch. "GET OUT!" she screamed, looking up at him. As soon as her eyes were at his eye level she received a blow to the eye. She stood up, holding her face and walked quickly towards the door, and opened it. A confused looking Draco looked at her bloodied lips and her swelling cheek and eye and was over taken by rage. It was her turn to look confused, and then angry.

"Go away Draco, I don't want or need your help." She seethed.

"Don't be stubborn Ginny." He pushed past her into the room and walked over to Harry.

"Didn't we have a discussion about hitting her, Potter?" he asked prepared to hit him at any moment.

"That became invalid as soon as I finished talking to your little sex toy, Anna. She informed me about everything, and really, it's quite adorable. I'm sure Ginny will find it quite noble." Draco growled dangerously, taking a step closer.

"I'm trying. What have you done for her in the past two years?"

"What have you?!" Harry shouted, his eyes blazing, "You've RUINED her."

"Get off it Pott-" Ginny stepped in between them holding up a hand.

"Will SOMEONE explain to me what in the bloody hell is going on?" Both Draco and Harry sighed deeply. Harry looked away, and then turned back quickly.

"Fine, you can have her. For now, but it's not going to be that easy, not even close." He stalked up the stairs and slammed his door. Ginny sighed, and sat down, ignoring the terrified stares coming from the Gryffindor first years. Draco sat down beside her and looked at his hands, trying to find the right words.

"What do you want from me Draco? You've already made it clear you didn't want anything to do to me. I didn't bother you with my misery, I stayed away from you just like you wanted. Why are you suddenly interested in my protection." She asked, as she raised her wand that had fallen from Harry's pocket, to get rid of the bruises and the blood.

"It's hard to explain.." he began, knotting his hands.

"I'm sure it is." She said sarcastically, sneering at him.

"Will you just let me apologize?" he asked frustrated.

"Sure, apology accepted. Thanks for the pity, now leave." She said coldly. He sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Don't you see how hard this is for me?" he asked quietly, "Don't you see how hurtful it was for me to say those things, those lies."

"How cruel can you be, Draco?" she asked, trying to hold back the tears. "How much pain do you want me to go through? Don't you care at all? Why do you have to sit here and mess with me head, pretend that you want me?" she asked. He looked up at her painfully.

"Please, love..let me explain." He said slowly, reaching for her hand.

"I'm not your love." She sobbed out, "You made that clear. You made it clear how worthless I really was to you. What's going to happen in a month, are you going to leave again, decide I'm not worthy anymore? I can't live through that, I can't handle that." She cried, moving away from him.

He reached over, ignoring her attempts to keep him away and wiped her tears from her eyes, pushing the hair away from her face.

"I made a mistake. I thought you'd be better off without me, I thought I was doing what was right for you. But I wasn't. I thought you would move on, be happy. I thought it would erase the struggle. But then I was without you, I saw your pain. I knew how hard it was to be without you, how I couldn't stand to be with anyone else, how I didn't want to go without seeing your face, hearing your voice every morning. I had to come here, and tell you that everything I said was a lie. That I'm in love with you Ginny, don't you get it?" he asked, trying to tilt her head towards him, to look into her eyes. She shook her head tiredly.

"Just go Draco, please, just leave. Don't tell me that. When you decide you don't want me anymore, it'll hurt too much." She moved her face away from his hand and looked away, trying to hide her tears.

"You don't understand!" he said almost silently, "I will NEVER stop loving you. I CAN'T. And I know you love me, I can't keep doing this. Hurting you, being without you. Be with me, were both free now. I promise, I will never hurt you again." She stayed quiet, trying to ignore what he had said before turning towards him and kissing him hard. Her lips moved against his and he hungrily kissed her back.

"I love you" he mumbled, twisting his hand in her hair gently.

"I love you." She whispered, kissing him deeply. The entire common room went quiet, but they didn't care. Things were okay again.


	8. 8: A Day At The Lake

Chapter 8

The day was bright and filled with sunshine. Every window was glistening with the sun, and every face held a smile. Ginny shifted impatiently in her chair, waiting for the opportunity to go outside.

"You're not my mother Hermione, why do you have to make me do this pitiful, boring, lagging work?" she complained, resting her head on the table.

"Because first of all its punishment, and second of all I'm not letting you fail your last year at Hogwarts." She said, her lips stretching into a thin annoyed line.

"Punishment for what exactly?" she asked, picking at the wood on the small table.

"For snogging Malfoy and betraying your brother, your family, your BEST FRIEND." She said, apparently sulking.

"You're the one who directed him towards me, told him to go for it. Are you jealous or something Hermy?" she asked absently.

"Nothing like jealousy, I just don't think it's a very good idea, at all." She leaned over her parchment and began scribbling again. Ginny sighed heavily and secretly planned her escape route. Window? No, too dangerous. Making it too the door was simply impossible considering that Hermione had Harry blocking it, although he was currently dozing near the entrance.

"Was there really a need to have Harry blocking the door, Hermione? I thought you were on my side considering his temper." She looked away irritated, and stared out the window again. The sunshine, if it were possible seemed brighter as it danced across the carpet. She ached to dip her feet into the cool lake, to maybe relieve the sticky heat that seemed to absorb the entire room.

"I am on your side, but that doesn't mean I want you ruining your life away on someone that doesn't care about you. And I certainly can't restrain you myself." She never took her eyes from the parchment, determined to work. Ginny's temper flared and she glared at Hermione accusingly.

"For your information Hermione, he DOES care about me. And if I wanted to get past Harry, I could do it in an instant. But I'd prefer the lack of struggle." She huffed for a moment, before her face softened and she leaned forward, staring at the unfazed girl in front of her.

"Hermy…dear, dear Hermy, don't you want to see me happy?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. Hermione looked up slowly.

"Of course I do Ginny, but that's besides the point." She bent forward again and began her work. Ginny slammed her fist against the table and stood up, just as Harry stirred from his sleep.

"This is ridiculous. You KNOW this isn't about my work, this is about the simple fact that you would hate for me to be with anyone else but PRECIOUS POTTER!" she heard the snide remark that belonged to Draco sliding from between her lips, but she didn't care. "You would sacrifice my happiness for pitiful childish feuds? Well, I WON'T be stuck in the middle. Not now, not ever. So get over it and start acting your age." She shouted, stomping through the portrait hole. Harry sat bewildered and Hermione sighed, looking defeated. Ginny walked quickly through the hall, barely able to concentrate on the happily chattering voices that collected around her every thought.

'_So they think they can control me, do they?' _she seethed, fists clenched. _'They believe that they can just ruin my happiness because it doesn't suite them?'_ right as she finished this thought she collided with something solid and she fell backward, hitting the stone floor. She groaned and felt the string from her hands behind her, that had scraped along the brick. Draco looked down at her amused, but slightly concerned before extending a hand. She looked at it, irritation flaring before a slow smile crossed her lips and she took it.

"Thanks." She muttered, smiling still and looking up at him through her lashes.

"No problem Ginny, I'm just disappointed that you didn't stumble and fall into my arms." A crooked smile crossed his lips and he kept his hand in hers.

"Sarcastically sentimental words from Draco Malfoy? I'm shocked." She squeezed his hand and he looked around nervously, slowly dropping it.

"Would you want to come sit by the lake with me?" he asked, shifting his eyes from side to side, surveying the crowd of people in the hall, making sure that none of them were aware of their meeting, or of the lingering hold he had on her hand. She didn't notice his hesitance and she nodded, reaching up to ruffle his hair. He cringed and swatted her hand away.

"Don't mess with perfection, _Weasley_" but his smile was joking and he started walking along the hallway, towards the doors. She followed along behind him, as if in a trance and reached for his hand. He carefully avoided it by pushing the door open and she scratched her leg, appearing to not have been trying to reach for it. He sent a knowing smile her way and she blushed, looking down.

"So…this is different." He began, walking towards the lake slowly. She nodded in agreement, not meeting his eyes. He scratched the back of his head and looked over at her, "I feel like I should be insulting you." He confessed. She laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Your not the only one. But earlier, I heard your words, coming from my mouth. I was shocked, but I don't regret it." She chuckled, shaking her head at the memory. He smiled slightly and nudged her back.

"Don't become a Malfoy in too many ways, It's not as fascinating as you'd think." He brushed his hand against hers but withdrew quickly.

"I didn't think in the first place, that's why you and I are here, together." He stiffened and the air became tense.

"I'd much prefer to think as this as something pleasant, rather than a mistake." He stated, his jaw flexing.

"It doesn't matter how it came about I suppose, the outcome is rather pleasant." She moved towards him again, and linked an arm around his. This time he didn't object and he tightened his hold around her arm.

"So…tell me about your family." He said after a moment of silence.

"You don't really care." She stated bluntly, leaving the air thick and open.

"I do." He muttered, loosening his grip, "Really. I don't ask without reason. Tell me, please?" he asked, turning to her and staring her down, his gray eyes glistening at her. The air caught in her throat and she stuttered for a moment, his crooked smile returning, making it harder to speak.

"What do you want to know?" she finally forced out, looking away and began unsteadily walking again.

"Well…how many siblings do you REALLY have? To begin with." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. She smiled meekly and sighed, watching the ground.

"Um…there's, Charlie, Bill, Ron, George, Percy, and..me. There was Fred but…" she let her sentence finish itself. She didn't feel like speaking the words. But everyone understood anyway, she wondered if Draco would. It took him a moment but then he squeezed her hand tightly.

"Do you miss him?" he asked quietly. She shrugged but after a moment she nodded.

"He was my brother, how could I not miss him?" He didn't respond and he just kept walking, listening to the grass beneath his feet.

"I miss my sister, too." He said quietly. Releasing her hand from his, he stuck them in his pocket. Ginny looked up at him alarmed and stopped walking.

"You had a sister?" she asked, stunned, her mouth hanging open. He nodded once, but kept walking.

"Yeah, her name was Ashley. She was two years older than me, barely an adult. My parents kept her a secret, for obvious reasons. They could never keep her on the right path, she dated less than worthy men, she was a disappointment. No one knew she existed. She never went to Hogwarts; eventually she was never allowed to leave the house. You-Know-Who caught wind, and my father killed her. Just like that, in front of me. He regrets it now, that the battles over. But Ashley was my only real friend for a while." It all rushed out of him, and he looked away from her. She was overwhelmed with the intensity with which the conversation had turned, and she gripped his hand.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

"So am I" he mumbled back, and pulled her quickly towards the tree by the lake. He sat beneath it, and it a romantic gesture seating her between his legs, wrapping his arms around her.

"Slytherins don't usually come to the lake, were safe. But your lot, they already know. So I suppose it really doesn't matter."She laughed uneasily and glanced around anyway.

'What would happen if they found out you were with me?" she asked, but her tone was dark. They weren't talking about classmates anymore, they were talking about family.

"They wouldn't." he said bluntly.

"Were sort of obvious Draco, were not exactly discrete." She almost laughed, but stared out into the lake instead, waiting for a response.

"I'd have to lie, I wouldn't admit to it." He answered stiffly.

"Why?" she asked, as if the answer wasn't clear. It came out as if she were a whining child, begging for a piece of candy.

"The destruction that would follow wouldn't be worth it. I love you Ginny, I do, but I'm not willing to rip everything apart because you want to be deemed my 'girlfriend.'" He said silently. She cringed and started picking at the grass. The silence that hung there was almost unbearably and they didn't speak for a long time. The only sound was his steady breathing and the random laughter of people Ginny didn't know.

"So I guess marriage is out of the question." She said sadly, trying to make it sound like a joke but failing.

"Well…obviously." He said nervously. "But why are we talking about that? Were together, isn't that enough. Silly titles and rings won't get in the way of that will they?" he asked, before kissing her neck softly.

"I suppose not, it was just a nice concept to think that I'd have you forever. Marriage sort of solidifies that." She shrugged, and leaned away from his body. He shrugged as well, and loosened his grip, staring out into the lake.

"Do you like your family?" he asked her after a while. She continued staring, thinking.

"I suppose so. They're like any other family. They drive me crazy sometimes, but they are always there to take care of me, no matter what sort of state I'm in. It's nice to have a constant, I care about them and they care about me." She said, beginning to stroke his knee. He smiled slightly and started playing with her hair.

"I don't like my family, I don't care about them." He told her slowly and kept playing with her hair, braiding it in small twists of his hands.

"Of course you do, they're your family." She said lazily, taking in slow calming breaths.

"In blood maybe.." he said solemnly, "But I hate my dad, and my moms just afraid to defy him. Ashley's gone, your what's left I suppose." He leaned forward and kissed her neck gently. "It's nice to have a constant." He muttered. She smiled gently and continued staring with a content smile towards the glistening lake.


	9. A Writers Mistake: Please Read

An authors note: I relized while re-reading my fanfiction that I made two mistakes.  
One was bareable for me and the other concerned me so I decided to make a note of it.  
I relize in one chapter Ron exclaims that Fred and George were going to hurt Harry. Now,  
to go along with the time line Fred should be dead. And according to chapter 8 he is. So I wanted to make a note of that so there isn't any confustion. Secondly, if any of you were wondering I did not think through the Dumbledore thing. But it would be hard to work around if he did not excist. So for the plot's sake, Im going to get off track,and say that Fred is dead but Dumbeldor never died. I know this must have been a bit confusing for some, and I appologize, I just didnt think it through. Thanks for the patience and thanks for reading, I hope you keep reading and reveiwing. 


	10. 9: Again

Chapter 9

The halls were dark, and dank. The only sound was her feet against the brick, and she stared ahead of her intently, making sure that no one would see her. She was headed towards the prefect bathroom, which, sadly was at the other end of the castle. She had overcome her fear of the bathroom recently, and she felt comfortable entering it again. She could hear her own shallow breathe, coming out in short small gasps. She smiled as she neared the bathroom, thankful for the cover from the ruthless teachers who would certainly add a detention to her already filled weekend. She held a tower over her shoulder and her own shampoo. She tucked the shampoo into her pocket as she took her wand from her other pocket.

"Bubbleyuppee." She said quietly and waved her wand in the same motion. After a short moment, the door made a faint clicking noise and it opened a fraction. She pushed it open slowly and peered inside. The only light were a few flickering candles, dancing along the walls and dripping wax onto themselves.

"You'd think with all of our magic we'd learn to create non drip candles" she muttered, before pushing the door shut. She glanced around the room, it was large with dark walls. It made the candle light even more magnificent in comparison. She smiled slightly and dropped her towel into a chair close by. She began slowly removing her robes, sliding them from her frail frame. The warm air tickled her skin and she shivered in contentment. She walked over, bare, and turned the knobs. Water silently rushed into the empty tub. Bubbles grew from the surface and it glowed green. She blushed, thinking of her Slytherin Prince, and watched as the water slowly rose. It took a while, the tub being as big as an Olympic sized pool. Her eyes appraised the steaming water. She dipped her toe in and after a moment of decision she slid her entire body slowly into the water. Immediately she could feel her muscles relax and she sank low, enjoying the warmth and the comfort. She shut her eyes, spreading her arms over the ledge of the tub and bent her head back. She heard a small creaking and her eyes snapped open. She quickly glanced around the room and it was empty, as far as she could tell. Her body relaxed a bit more and she peered over at her robes. She lifted her wand from the ledge and summoned her shampoo. It flew into her hand and she set her wand down before dipping her hands into the still steaming water. She raised them, letting the water drain between her fingers and unscrewed the bottle of shampoo. She sniffed it and was delighted and greeted with the warm smell of vanilla. She poured a bit into her hands and rubbed them together, causing a lather to appear on her pale skin. The small bubbles in the soap resembled the bubbles in the water and she sighed at the green once more, but smiled at it as well. She slowly worked the lather into her long red hair, and sighed a content sigh as she massaged her scalp. She slipped beneath the soapy water and ran her hands over her head again, trying to get all the soap out, she rose out of the water to take another breath, her eyes still closed. A searing pain ran through her entire body and her eyes opened and the blood flowed freely from her forehead. Shock overwhelmed her and she gasped looking up to see Harry. His smile was menacing and he had a hold of her hair, grasping it hard.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded, trying to ignore the pain from where her head had connected with the hard edge. He snickered, pulling her out of the water and dragging her across the hard ground.

"I wanted to react our first time, doesn't that sound nice?" he asked sweetly, looming over her. She shook her head desperately and shrieked from the pain where her hair was pulling on the roots.

"No?" he asked with a fake pout, a smile pulling through. "But love, I arranged all of the beautiful bubbles and candles, so you could think of your precious little Malfoy while I screwed you." He said, in the same sickly sweet tone. He pulled her head back and she whimpered, kicking her legs. "I'm just so happy you've gotten past this silly fear of the prefect bathroom, really, I'm nothing to be afraid of." He said, his teeth pressed together hard, a smile crossing his face again.

"Please don't hurt me." She begged, kicking again. He knelt on her shins, holding her in place.

"Of course not, Ginny love. In fact, if you make this easy I might even make this okay for you. Tolerable." He laughed out loud and a tear streaked down her cheek. He reached forward and brushed it away. "Now now love, don't cry. There's nothing to be afraid of, this is sort of romantic, if you think about it." His lips swept over her throat and over her collarbone, biting hard and drawing blood ever so often. She cried harder and tried to pull his head away, but he raised his wand and tied her hands above her head, with a small smirk. She screamed but he had already silenced the room.

"Shh now, Ginny, this will all be over soon."

After her had left, she lay on the floor crying, sobbing, rocking back and forth. This had been worse than last time, oddly enough less violent, but all together worse. He had made her stare at the bubbles, made her tilt her head back and drink in the brilliant green as he took her. She cried harder as she remembered and stood up, blood running down her thighs. She hadn't been taken like that in so long, she had bled again. And perhaps it had hurt worse, after healing and opening new wounds against the old. She didn't even try washing it off. She gathered her things, slipping on her robes and clumsily made her way out of the bathroom.

On the other end of the castle, Harry was knocking lightly on the Slytherin common room door. A sleepy first year answered and saw the bloody, rustled state Harry was in and sneered, "What do you need Potter."

"Not your mouth, midget. Go get Malfoy." He said, crossing his arms. The first year raised an eye brow but decided it wasn't worth the fight and walked up the stairs tiredly. After a long few minutes, Draco stumbled down the stairs and glared angrily at Harry.

"Potter, what are you doing here, and at this hour?" he asked, seething. Harry shrugged, but a mocking smile crossed his lips.

"Well, Malfoy I'm here to inform you about your girlfriend. It seems, that your girlfriend has been in a dreadful accident." He said, looking down and trying to appear sad.

Draco's eyes gave him away, but his face turned into a sneer, "Listen Potter, Ginny's not my girlfriend, and I don't care what happens to her. Whatever you did you better go concern someone else."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression that you cared about her wellbeing. And I never said I did anything, I said that someone has done dreadful sexual things to her in the bathroom, whether she's still there or not is a mystery." Draco's face went blank and he shut the door in Harry's face, turning away from it and staring at the opposite wall. His eyes blank, his thoughts traceless. A while after Harry had left, and the common room was silent, another knock came. Ginny sat shivering on the other end, her tears running into her mouth. She tasted the salt and was disgusted by it. Every tear had been contaminated. The door opened slowly, and she almost sighed with relief, before her face fell and she surveyed Draco.

"Draco.." she whispered. He wouldn't meet her eyes, his fists clenched at his sides. She walked forward, her arms stretched out, looking for comfort. He backed up slowly, keeping his eyes down. She dropped her arms slowly and tried to move her face in front of his. He shoved her back slightly and looked away. She stumbled back a little bit and wore a hurt expression.

"Draco what's wrong?" she asked, a new set of tears falling down her face.

"I don't want to touch you." He whispered. Her mouth fell open and a strangled sob escaped.

"Why…" she asked, moving forward again. He took another step back.

''Because, Potter told me what happened. I don't want to touch you, don't come near me again." She backed up slowly and he stared down at his feet, trying to block it all out, not to see what he was doing or what had been done. She walked out the door, crying hard and he fell into the chair, cradling his head in his hands.


	11. 10: A revalation, but not a patch

Chapter 10

He didn't even understand his own actions, but the only justifications was that he couldn't live through thinking about what happened. Touching her, holding her now would be painful. Living in those blissful moments of happiness would be so much easier. But it was like him, always taking the easy way out. He knew he was hurting her, but he was trying to save himself.

'_How selfish'_ he thought, stretching across the couch. He hadn't left the common room in days. Class work was piling up, and the need to know if she was okay dimmed. Not because he didn't care, but because he wanted to block it all out. Drown in the happy memories, no matter how few there were. He glanced up towards his window, where there was an owl, slowly and persistently pecking on the glass. He rolled his eyes, and with a groan he rose from the couch. His eyes were hooded, as if he hadn't slept in days, while he dragged his feet towards the window. He slowly opened it, letting the cool air hit his chest. The owl flew in, moving past him and onto a perch near by.

"Listen, I'm not in the mood for any letter. So tell Blaise, or Anna, or whoever sent it, to get lost. Send it back, they'll get the message." He turned his back on the bird, arms crossed. The owl let out a low noise and waved it's wings, staying still on the porch. Draco turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"You're an owl, you can't be defiant." He said, glancing away.

'_Look at me, I'm talking to an owl. How pathetic is that?'_ he thought feebly. He extended a hand tiredly with a sigh and waited for the owl to drop the letter from it's beak into his hand. The letter fell, and It was light. Barely containing a few inches of parchment. He opened it slowly, hesitantly and walked over to the couch.

'**Draco, **

**Love, I don't know what to do. These past two days have been unbareable. You said you wouldn't hurt me, you promised, really. But I'm mostly concerned for you, I can block things out, but I don't want you too. I don't know if were broken up, still together, if you even want me anymore. I deserve a letter, if not your company. This is hardly fair, your hurting me. Write me back, or I'll come and get the answers I want myself. You know me, it's not a bluff."**'

His eyes scanned the note several times before he tossed it into the fire and layed back.

"If it doesn't exist it can't bother me. It can't make me guilty, it can't hurt me." He said quietly, and closed his eyes. He hadn't known how long he had been asleep before he heard a sharp rapping on the common room door. He sat up quickly, rubbing his head and looking around confused. He walked over to the door, forgetting the note and answered it. A face met him that struck a cord, but he suppressed the feeling with destructive ease. His eyes turned icy, and he avoided her eyes. Tears dripped from her 

nose, they streaked her face, which at the moment was a light shade of pink. Her eyes were red, her hair a mess. And still, she was beautiful. He felt like it was the beginning, like he should be ignoring these observations. But he still hadn't let himself think about why exactly he was avoiding her and hurting her.

"What do you want Gi- Weasley." He said silkily, but his voice cracked. He scowled.

She started sobbing. He watched her for several moments as her form crumpled over, still standing, crying until she couldn't breath and she started choking.

"Please." She gasped, feeling pathetic and alone. "I need you" she begged, "I love you," she sobbed, trying to look up, shaking her head. "Why won't you be here for me, why won't you look at me…why are you acting like this, I don't understand."

He cringed, nearly extending a hand, to pull her against him and stroke her tangled hair. But he retracted it, and kept it in his pocket.

"I don't understand either…love." He said slowly, and he felt his warm words filling his mouth. He tasted them, he tasted her, the smell of her hair, her skin. The feel of her against him, the overwhelming protection, he felt it all and he couldn't suppress it for the third day in a row. Suddenly he looked down at her, confused as to how he could have partially caused the mess infront of him. He extended his arms and pulled her towards him, and no matter how much she wanted to struggle, to confront him on hurting her, she couldn't. She crumpled in his arms, and cried. He stroked her hair, and after a while he cried too. He felt like he should be disgusted by her, that she was spoiled. But she was the farthest thing from it.

"I'm….sorry." he said quietly. It didn't feel adiquite, not at all. It felt so pitiful compared to the situation.

"For which, deserting me or for what happened?" she asked, her tears still flowing. He pressed her closer and ran his fingers over her scalp.

"I'm sorry for leaving you when you were so hurt and scared, I was scared too. I'm sorry I didn't defend you, I'm sorry I left you alone. I didn't think, I was scared. I'm sorry. As for what happened, it hasn't clicked yet…" his words still felt hallow, he didn't know how to express the sorrow or regret he felt. She just felt limp in his arms.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked, keeping her close.

"You already know, I don't want to explain the details." She said, her voice cracking several times.

"I'm going to kill him." And for the first time in days, he sounded menacing.

"No, your not." She said, gripping his arm, her nails digging into his flesh.

"Why do you say that?" he asked, pulling away slightly to see her face.

"Because, you don't care enough to kill him, and I think you'd prefer to avoid Azkaban." She said, putting her head back against his chest.

"I do care, I was just…hiding it. I was trying to ignore what happened, so it wouldn't hurt. It didn't work, He is going to pay. And I still love you, with all my heart. I know you don't believe me, I don't expect it…but I hope you will."

She smiled slightly, her heart breaking again as she knew she didn't believe him, but decided to play dirty and become numb as he was.

"So…how are you going to kill Potter?" she asked.

And it felt blank.


End file.
